If you’re like most people I know, there has been no noticeable break between adult hood and child hood. Sure, we make the mile markers occasionally (finishing differing levels of school, working/fending for ourselves, moving out of our parents places, etc), but how often do we really find ourselves being told that we’re adults now? And how are we even suppose to really know or feel like adults? Their are various cultures that have coming of age traditions (Bar Mitzvah and Rumspringa being two well known examples) that are still widely done and still seen as an important part of one’s development into adulthood. Which brings me to question: Do people with a rite of passage into adulthood, adjust better to being “adults”?
This requires a certain definition of what being an adult entails. While it can be questioned (and I do question) whether or not some one who does not have a rite of passage (which implies a general cultural knowledge of what being an adult in that culture is expected to be) can define an adult, it can still be assumed that North American cultures, as well as various others throughout the world, see adulthood as stepping forward and taking responsibility for our own life and actions. Since we generally have no solid coming of age rituals, when do we really start to be an adult? Arguably, it could be said that anything from our first job to when we finish school to the start of female menstruation or when we take on fuller responsibilities is the point of transition into adulthood, our own subtle coming of age rite. Any of these could apply to differently to all of us. If one person finished high school and another did not, does that mean the later is not an adult? No, it doesn’t, but this doesn’t discount this for being a mile marker into adulthood for any one else.
While there’s not much readily, easily available information on the internet on the psychological effects on one who has any traditional rite of passage, so really, I’m talking out of my ass for the most part, it can be assumed that these rites of passage help one come to terms with being an adult and their responsibilities. It’s almost like the death of childhood and the birth of adulthood, as any basic information on these rites will tell us. It’s a solid changing of function, duties and even the persona we have in our lives. If we had these solid markers where the community around us solidified our becoming adults, would there still be such a sea of confused 20 and 30 year olds? How often do we see people spend multiple years in college or a constant change of jobs all because we don’t feel like we can make these adult decisions? Because we never have become adults (sometimes in outward treatment and other times just inward emotionally).
Even with these transitions, like the ritual of Confirmation for Catholics, sometimes we aren’t treated any differently. After my own Confirmation nothing changed: same rules, same child/parent distance, even same religious responsibilities. If this was to truly act like a rite of passage, than something would have changed for me. Since nothing did, it still is a rite, but not one of passage. Nothing was really marked for me and no one really paid much mind to it. I was still just a child.
These coming of age rituals help one to transition from one stage of their life to the next, not just from childhood to adulthood, sometimes just from one new stage to the next. Sometimes it seems we are a generation trying to build transitions on nothing, but our own psychological foundations, which as a whole tend to be shaky. I think it’s time to do our own rite of passage rituals. Something that’s more than just a first beer or a paper diploma. Something that’s big enough to mean something, yet spiritual enough to have a lasting impact. In the end, it’s a ritual that helps us move forward to become the person we’ve always wanted to be.
That being said: What will your rite of passage be?
Links For More Information:
Wikipedia’s “Rite of Passage” Page (Includes list of rites by coming of age, religion, military, academic, vocational/professional and other)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rite_of_passage
Site discussing rites of passage and their formats
http://www.sittingowl.com/mwl_index.htm
Article on how rituals are help with transitional periods
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-flux/201109/5-ways-rituals-help-guide-you-through-transitions
Books for More Information:
The Human Encounter with Death by Stanislov Grof and Joan Halifax
(More links, articles and books will be posted when I do more research. Which will happen, because I am truly interested in the psychology behind rites of passage.)
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Let’s Not have Another “millie” on Our Hands
One of the latest memes floating around the internet, is the “hi im millie, im 10 and I love everything” meme. Below is an example of the meme from anongallery.org (a site that people can anonymously post memes and other internet works):
If you’re a parent, you should be horrified. If you’re not a parent, you should be terrified for the future since these children will one day be running your country on top of running your McDonalds. Millie here is just one example of the horrors that young children get into on the internet. On top of obvious flaws in this post, this will also haunt Millie for the rest of her life. She will forever be the girl who loves everything and is “not afreid” just like the young lady who's father shot her computer will always be that young lady.
These are just some of the latest examples and they aren’t the worse thing that can happen to a child. Any child using a public instant message account can get messages asking indecent questions and most websites with adult content only ask if some one is 18 or not. They don’t use anything but a person’s word. In this world full of indecency on television (even children’s television it seems) and in public (children’s fashions are even becoming sexualized), the internet is the worst of it. So what can parents do to help their children avoid these mistakes and be children for a little bit longer? Here are just a few small possibilities.
- Keep Tabs on Time Spent Online: The less time spent online, the less shenanigans can happen. Now, students need time for school work and honestly, time for some relaxation like the rest of us, but how many 10 year olds need more than an hour of that? Especially when they have video games, books, toys, homework, cellphones, etc.
- Put the Web Browser in Safety Mode: Most browsers let you put up a child safety browser, like Metasurf, which is specifically built to help protect children from porn and the like. If a site that should be safe cannot be access by your child, like the Girl Scout website (this often gets accidentally blocked because it talks about puberty), let the child go on it from your account and keep an eye on them while they do.
- Create a Separate Computer Account for Them: It takes a bit of computer space up, but it also helps you set up administrative controls over their computer account. The benefits range from keeping your own things private (and from being accidentally deleted by tiny hands) to controlling what they download to limiting what they have access to, from internet to applications. A person can set it up so that only the administrative account, which should be yours, can make changes. This can be helpful in keeping tabs on the time spent online and in putting in places parental controls.
- Avoid social media if possible: Yes, your child will get on these eventually, but avoid them until they’re 14 or 15 (ie mature enough to watch their own content). If you decide to let your child go on earlier, moderator them. Insist on being their friend on the site and insist that the child hide nothing from you. That way you can keep track of them. Also make sure their page is private and they are only friends with family or children from school.
- Try to Avoid Giving them a Smart Phone: Honestly, most children only need a cellphone for emergencies. If a child has a smart phone then they can access the internet with out being under tabs. This goes for iPads or iPods attached to WiFi as well. Besides what child needs a expensive gadgets? They should be playing outside for heaven’s sake.
All that being said, once a child hits 14 they should be mature enough to ensure some measure of decency, but that doesn’t mean parents still shouldn’t ask the child to share their Facebook page every once in a while or remind their child of the dangers of the web. Though I did say “should be”, it really is up to each individual parent to decide how mature their child is. Also, in this day and age if a child does not having any computer access, they do run the risk of falling behind in school and their eventual career path. Completely eliminating their computer time is just as bad as giving them unwatched computer time.
Children need more guidance than ever these days to keep them from dangers (whether that danger is themselves or some one else), so please take what steps you can to keep your child safe and not another “millie”.
If you’re a parent, you should be horrified. If you’re not a parent, you should be terrified for the future since these children will one day be running your country on top of running your McDonalds. Millie here is just one example of the horrors that young children get into on the internet. On top of obvious flaws in this post, this will also haunt Millie for the rest of her life. She will forever be the girl who loves everything and is “not afreid” just like the young lady who's father shot her computer will always be that young lady.
These are just some of the latest examples and they aren’t the worse thing that can happen to a child. Any child using a public instant message account can get messages asking indecent questions and most websites with adult content only ask if some one is 18 or not. They don’t use anything but a person’s word. In this world full of indecency on television (even children’s television it seems) and in public (children’s fashions are even becoming sexualized), the internet is the worst of it. So what can parents do to help their children avoid these mistakes and be children for a little bit longer? Here are just a few small possibilities.
- Keep Tabs on Time Spent Online: The less time spent online, the less shenanigans can happen. Now, students need time for school work and honestly, time for some relaxation like the rest of us, but how many 10 year olds need more than an hour of that? Especially when they have video games, books, toys, homework, cellphones, etc.
- Put the Web Browser in Safety Mode: Most browsers let you put up a child safety browser, like Metasurf, which is specifically built to help protect children from porn and the like. If a site that should be safe cannot be access by your child, like the Girl Scout website (this often gets accidentally blocked because it talks about puberty), let the child go on it from your account and keep an eye on them while they do.
- Create a Separate Computer Account for Them: It takes a bit of computer space up, but it also helps you set up administrative controls over their computer account. The benefits range from keeping your own things private (and from being accidentally deleted by tiny hands) to controlling what they download to limiting what they have access to, from internet to applications. A person can set it up so that only the administrative account, which should be yours, can make changes. This can be helpful in keeping tabs on the time spent online and in putting in places parental controls.
- Avoid social media if possible: Yes, your child will get on these eventually, but avoid them until they’re 14 or 15 (ie mature enough to watch their own content). If you decide to let your child go on earlier, moderator them. Insist on being their friend on the site and insist that the child hide nothing from you. That way you can keep track of them. Also make sure their page is private and they are only friends with family or children from school.
- Try to Avoid Giving them a Smart Phone: Honestly, most children only need a cellphone for emergencies. If a child has a smart phone then they can access the internet with out being under tabs. This goes for iPads or iPods attached to WiFi as well. Besides what child needs a expensive gadgets? They should be playing outside for heaven’s sake.
All that being said, once a child hits 14 they should be mature enough to ensure some measure of decency, but that doesn’t mean parents still shouldn’t ask the child to share their Facebook page every once in a while or remind their child of the dangers of the web. Though I did say “should be”, it really is up to each individual parent to decide how mature their child is. Also, in this day and age if a child does not having any computer access, they do run the risk of falling behind in school and their eventual career path. Completely eliminating their computer time is just as bad as giving them unwatched computer time.
Children need more guidance than ever these days to keep them from dangers (whether that danger is themselves or some one else), so please take what steps you can to keep your child safe and not another “millie”.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
His Hands (A Micro-Fiction Piece)
His hands.
That’s what she thought of most often.
She’s not sure why she remembered them most. Maybe it was the way he always reached for hers no matter where they were. In the halls of the university when he walked her to class, or stretching his hand out across the table as they ate. At home when they watched movies, even when she was cooking for him and she had to playfully bat his hand away so she wouldn’t burn their dinner. She even remembered their hands entwined during lovemaking more than she remembered the lovemaking itself. He was always reaching for her hand. She didn’t even have to look to know that his hand was longing for hers, that his warmth was waiting to meet hers again. Rarely could she deny that longing, for her hand belonged in his as much as his hand in hers.
The strength of his hands, the warmth penetrating her own skin, their powers merging right there together. He owned her in those moments that he held her hand and she would give up anything to just feel one of his hands in hers again.
As it was, they were no longer warm and there was no more strength in them, no more power to ground her. No, they were cold and lifeless, rotting away in a pine box, but she would never forget them and their original warmth. His hands would always be there, too far away to hold, longing for hers in his.
That’s what she thought of most often.
She’s not sure why she remembered them most. Maybe it was the way he always reached for hers no matter where they were. In the halls of the university when he walked her to class, or stretching his hand out across the table as they ate. At home when they watched movies, even when she was cooking for him and she had to playfully bat his hand away so she wouldn’t burn their dinner. She even remembered their hands entwined during lovemaking more than she remembered the lovemaking itself. He was always reaching for her hand. She didn’t even have to look to know that his hand was longing for hers, that his warmth was waiting to meet hers again. Rarely could she deny that longing, for her hand belonged in his as much as his hand in hers.
The strength of his hands, the warmth penetrating her own skin, their powers merging right there together. He owned her in those moments that he held her hand and she would give up anything to just feel one of his hands in hers again.
As it was, they were no longer warm and there was no more strength in them, no more power to ground her. No, they were cold and lifeless, rotting away in a pine box, but she would never forget them and their original warmth. His hands would always be there, too far away to hold, longing for hers in his.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Why Our Generation will NOT be Known for Their Fashion Sense
5) We Steal Our Fashion
Sure, Retro has been done in other generations, but our generation has turned it into whole genres. Steampunk, Renaissance, Goth… Just to name a few. We’ve definitely put our spin on the styles, especially with Steampunk, but at the same time we’re taking something original and only tweaking it. Admittedly, I partake in all of these genres of dress very happily and do see them as a legitimate styles that have taken root. However, whenever historians talk about it, it will always be:
“Steampunk is a style of clothing brought into vast popularity during the late 20th century where a person takes a time period, usually Victorian, and designs a costume of that age, but with accessories of what futuristic pieces would look to people of that age (e.i. A computer or gun made with brass components). ”
In all, it will never be solely our generations making since we must always contribute major parts of design to other time periods.
4) The Turn Over and the Internet
Styles change too quickly for any one to keep track of what’s truly “hip to the jive”. With the interest and the vast amount of information, as well as several fashion shows a year by our “leaders” in trends and just the fast over turn of clothing in modern stores, we rarely see the same clothes or style for that long. For example, I’ve gone into Hot Topic, seen a Marvel Vs. Capcom hoodie I loved and when I went in a month later, it was on the clearance rack in the wrong size never to be sold at Hot Topic again. Sure, we have specialty stores online that hold onto such items (such as Marvel’s online store), but for many people shopping online for clothes is too much of a hassle. With the turn over and dilution we have in clothing, how is any of it memorial-able?
3) We own too much!
How many of us really own just one pair of jeans or just a couple of shirts? Our fashions lose value by the sheer amount of clothes most of society owns. In fact, most people would rather spend their pay check on the newest shoes instead of food. Hell, they’ll forget about their own safety for a pair of Nike Foam Sneakers if they’re on sale.
2) Tights as Pants.
Tights should rarely, if ever, be worn as pants unless you’re doing theatre or uber thin. As in wafer thin. Even then, be wary. It’s basically like walking around naked. Don't know what I'm talking about? Look at this image from Stylebust.com.
At least the people at Tights are not Pants agree with me.
1) Our babies dress like sluts.
Yes, I am being blunt about it. We dress our children in make up, short skirts, and tube tops. We dress them as adults and portray them as sex symbols. See Toddlers and Tiaras. Do I really need to say anything more about this?
Sure, Retro has been done in other generations, but our generation has turned it into whole genres. Steampunk, Renaissance, Goth… Just to name a few. We’ve definitely put our spin on the styles, especially with Steampunk, but at the same time we’re taking something original and only tweaking it. Admittedly, I partake in all of these genres of dress very happily and do see them as a legitimate styles that have taken root. However, whenever historians talk about it, it will always be:
“Steampunk is a style of clothing brought into vast popularity during the late 20th century where a person takes a time period, usually Victorian, and designs a costume of that age, but with accessories of what futuristic pieces would look to people of that age (e.i. A computer or gun made with brass components). ”
In all, it will never be solely our generations making since we must always contribute major parts of design to other time periods.
4) The Turn Over and the Internet
Styles change too quickly for any one to keep track of what’s truly “hip to the jive”. With the interest and the vast amount of information, as well as several fashion shows a year by our “leaders” in trends and just the fast over turn of clothing in modern stores, we rarely see the same clothes or style for that long. For example, I’ve gone into Hot Topic, seen a Marvel Vs. Capcom hoodie I loved and when I went in a month later, it was on the clearance rack in the wrong size never to be sold at Hot Topic again. Sure, we have specialty stores online that hold onto such items (such as Marvel’s online store), but for many people shopping online for clothes is too much of a hassle. With the turn over and dilution we have in clothing, how is any of it memorial-able?
3) We own too much!
How many of us really own just one pair of jeans or just a couple of shirts? Our fashions lose value by the sheer amount of clothes most of society owns. In fact, most people would rather spend their pay check on the newest shoes instead of food. Hell, they’ll forget about their own safety for a pair of Nike Foam Sneakers if they’re on sale.
2) Tights as Pants.
Tights should rarely, if ever, be worn as pants unless you’re doing theatre or uber thin. As in wafer thin. Even then, be wary. It’s basically like walking around naked. Don't know what I'm talking about? Look at this image from Stylebust.com.
At least the people at Tights are not Pants agree with me.
1) Our babies dress like sluts.
Yes, I am being blunt about it. We dress our children in make up, short skirts, and tube tops. We dress them as adults and portray them as sex symbols. See Toddlers and Tiaras. Do I really need to say anything more about this?
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Dust off those Cookie Cutters
Let’s face it, we all have large tins of various cookie cutters that we can’t bare to part with, but at the same time may use every other Christmas, if that. Or maybe I’m the only one guilty of that. Even so, there are plenty of other uses for cookie cutters that span not only food uses, but also some fun non-cooking uses.
Cooking Uses:
Shaping Eggs- You can buy an egg shaper made out of the same metal as your trusty cookie cutters, but why not have fun shaped eggs? A lot of cookie cutters even have little handles to make this an even easier project. Just make sure you only use metal cookie cutters and use every precaution to keep yourself safe.
Sandwich Shapers- Stores are making money off of basically selling cooke cutters for sandwiches. While they may be specifically shaped for sandwiches, why spend the extra money if you already have cutters at home?
Bento Boxes: There’s limited room in every lunch box, whether you have a special bento box or just plain tupperware, but cookie cutters help make the most of that space and keeps the foods separate. Not only that, but it helps bring a little bit of colour and flare to any lunch.
Non-Cooking Uses:
Ornaments- Whether you just tie a ribbon on them or actually drill a hole for a ribbon, cookie cutters make awesome ornaments for any holiday, party or day that just needs a little bit of decoration. Best thing is being able to still use them for cookies after.
Soap Molds- Making soap is fun in general, but making shaped soap just takes a little bit more effort and makes the soap more interesting. I wouldn’t recommend using the cookie cutters on food again unless you’ve done a heavy duty cleaning on them, but if the cookie cutters are rarely used for food anyways and you’ll use them on soap making more often, then go for it.
Cross-Posted on my other Blog
Cooking Uses:
Shaping Eggs- You can buy an egg shaper made out of the same metal as your trusty cookie cutters, but why not have fun shaped eggs? A lot of cookie cutters even have little handles to make this an even easier project. Just make sure you only use metal cookie cutters and use every precaution to keep yourself safe.
Sandwich Shapers- Stores are making money off of basically selling cooke cutters for sandwiches. While they may be specifically shaped for sandwiches, why spend the extra money if you already have cutters at home?
Bento Boxes: There’s limited room in every lunch box, whether you have a special bento box or just plain tupperware, but cookie cutters help make the most of that space and keeps the foods separate. Not only that, but it helps bring a little bit of colour and flare to any lunch.
Non-Cooking Uses:
Ornaments- Whether you just tie a ribbon on them or actually drill a hole for a ribbon, cookie cutters make awesome ornaments for any holiday, party or day that just needs a little bit of decoration. Best thing is being able to still use them for cookies after.
Soap Molds- Making soap is fun in general, but making shaped soap just takes a little bit more effort and makes the soap more interesting. I wouldn’t recommend using the cookie cutters on food again unless you’ve done a heavy duty cleaning on them, but if the cookie cutters are rarely used for food anyways and you’ll use them on soap making more often, then go for it.
Cross-Posted on my other Blog
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Paper, Paper, Paper
If you’re like me, you write on every piece of paper you find and generally lose gumption to type it up after the initial spurt of activity. Or you just write every down so you don’t forget anything or you have to do lists that just sit there. So this bring up the questions: Does creation stop after the story is over? Or does that piece of paper still have potential to be more? Can that potential to be more the push to actually type up your pieces in a timely manner?
No, yes, yes. At least, that’s the answers I’ve been finding lately. So here’s a fun list of things you can do, including some links on instructions:
1) Paper chain folding: This type of paper chain folding is usually called “Starburst paper folding”, because of the publicity it got when a mom made her daughter a prom dress from Starburst wrappers. In actuality it’s been around forever, originally done with gum wrappers. People mainly use it to make bracelets and other jewelry, however I’m in the process of using my Pen.io writings to make a picture frame and hope to make a box soon after. It’s fun, simple, quick, and if you have small paper, it works wonders. Be forewarned that it does not make quite as sturdy/neat looking chains as starburst wrappers do, but it just takes a bit of practice to find the best way of cleaning it up.
How to make a chain from Starburst Wrappers
2) Origami: This is pretty much a given, let’s face it. Cut the paper to the appropriate size and make that story into the best object that represents it. I am horrible at origami, but I guess this means I can get some practice.
Origami Fun
3) Paper strips: This is what I’m doing with my to do lists (if I finish them); I make paper strips and turn them into something, currently a bowl. Take a piece of paper, cut it into approximately 1 inch strips, fold into a third, and fold one last time, matching the side edges together. This should make a strip. An easier way to do this is by folding the paper in half and in half again. Either way, make sure to glue the edges together so that the strip is easy and firm to work with. Now comes the fun part: make something. Coasters, bowls, art pieces, etc. Anything you desire, just remember to seal the pieces afterwards and that unless you find yourself a really special sealer, don’t use any items for unwrapped foods that could damage the piece (i.e. These bowls are not soup bowls). If my directions are hard to follow, just google it and you’ll find plenty of directions. This is just how I learned it.
4) Envelopes: Don’t you dare ask me what an envelope is, you’re old enough to know. I’ve been doing this to old magazines that I haven’t gotten rid of for one reason or another.The easiest way to do this is to find an envelope the size you want, then carefully pull the pieces apart. Once the envelope is completely unglued, trance it onto the paper that you want to make an envelope (personally I glue two pieces of paper together so that I get an extra thick and sturdy envelope). Once trances out, cut it out and glue the proper pieces together. I also use blank envelope stickers to have a clear cut spot for addresses and since these come in various colours it can look really cool. If my directions are hard to follow, just google it and you’ll find plenty of directions. This is just how I learned it. As with the paper strips, if my directions are hard to follow, just google it and you’ll find plenty of directions. This is just how I learned it.
There are plenty of other things that can be done with the papers (like home made recycled paper, decoupage, etc), but these are some of the easiest and least messy things that can be done.
P.S. Glue sticks work best for most of the paper crafts listed.
No, yes, yes. At least, that’s the answers I’ve been finding lately. So here’s a fun list of things you can do, including some links on instructions:
1) Paper chain folding: This type of paper chain folding is usually called “Starburst paper folding”, because of the publicity it got when a mom made her daughter a prom dress from Starburst wrappers. In actuality it’s been around forever, originally done with gum wrappers. People mainly use it to make bracelets and other jewelry, however I’m in the process of using my Pen.io writings to make a picture frame and hope to make a box soon after. It’s fun, simple, quick, and if you have small paper, it works wonders. Be forewarned that it does not make quite as sturdy/neat looking chains as starburst wrappers do, but it just takes a bit of practice to find the best way of cleaning it up.
How to make a chain from Starburst Wrappers
2) Origami: This is pretty much a given, let’s face it. Cut the paper to the appropriate size and make that story into the best object that represents it. I am horrible at origami, but I guess this means I can get some practice.
Origami Fun
3) Paper strips: This is what I’m doing with my to do lists (if I finish them); I make paper strips and turn them into something, currently a bowl. Take a piece of paper, cut it into approximately 1 inch strips, fold into a third, and fold one last time, matching the side edges together. This should make a strip. An easier way to do this is by folding the paper in half and in half again. Either way, make sure to glue the edges together so that the strip is easy and firm to work with. Now comes the fun part: make something. Coasters, bowls, art pieces, etc. Anything you desire, just remember to seal the pieces afterwards and that unless you find yourself a really special sealer, don’t use any items for unwrapped foods that could damage the piece (i.e. These bowls are not soup bowls). If my directions are hard to follow, just google it and you’ll find plenty of directions. This is just how I learned it.
4) Envelopes: Don’t you dare ask me what an envelope is, you’re old enough to know. I’ve been doing this to old magazines that I haven’t gotten rid of for one reason or another.The easiest way to do this is to find an envelope the size you want, then carefully pull the pieces apart. Once the envelope is completely unglued, trance it onto the paper that you want to make an envelope (personally I glue two pieces of paper together so that I get an extra thick and sturdy envelope). Once trances out, cut it out and glue the proper pieces together. I also use blank envelope stickers to have a clear cut spot for addresses and since these come in various colours it can look really cool. If my directions are hard to follow, just google it and you’ll find plenty of directions. This is just how I learned it. As with the paper strips, if my directions are hard to follow, just google it and you’ll find plenty of directions. This is just how I learned it.
There are plenty of other things that can be done with the papers (like home made recycled paper, decoupage, etc), but these are some of the easiest and least messy things that can be done.
P.S. Glue sticks work best for most of the paper crafts listed.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Creating for Self-Fulfillment
My Dear Fellow Travellers,
Admittedly, there are a million reasons to create. Some reasons good, some bad, but more than anything, there’s one reason that rises above the rest:
Create for yourself.
Creating shouldn’t be a chore, it shouldn’t be a hardship or something that just gets done. There should be a self-fulfillment of some sort attached to it.
Sure, there may be bigger reasons, like political stances or statements for equality., but the reasons for making such statements should be for you. It should be because you believe it, because it means something to you.
If it doesn’t, that makes your creations hollow. Sure you could be writing or painting because some one inspired you, but if that person is standing behind you, forcing you to work, then your work isn’t for you, isn’t fulfilling of some innate need inside yourself.
The examples of people creating for their own fulfillment is vast, from the silly to the serious. Lady Gaga wants to be unique and create astonishing pieces that shock and amuse people, she, from all assumptions, enjoys this. Martin Luther King wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, because he believed in his cause and he could not fulfill himself if he didn’t push for it. But how many people go that extra step, push for something so hard, if they don’t find some type of self-fulfillment from it? If creating does not help them towards their own goals and dreams?
Sara Barielles has a song, called “Love Song”, that says, “I’m not gonna write you to stay/All you have is leaving/I’m gon’ need a better reason/To write you a love song today.” That quote sums up how we should feel about our creativity: that we should not feel forced to create, but rather that creation should be part of our own self-fulfillment.
This does, however, bring up questions about self-fulfillment, that I may or may not address at another time.
References
Love Song by Sara Barielles http://www.metrolyrics.com/love-song-lyrics-sara-bareilles.html
Admittedly, there are a million reasons to create. Some reasons good, some bad, but more than anything, there’s one reason that rises above the rest:
Create for yourself.
Creating shouldn’t be a chore, it shouldn’t be a hardship or something that just gets done. There should be a self-fulfillment of some sort attached to it.
Sure, there may be bigger reasons, like political stances or statements for equality., but the reasons for making such statements should be for you. It should be because you believe it, because it means something to you.
If it doesn’t, that makes your creations hollow. Sure you could be writing or painting because some one inspired you, but if that person is standing behind you, forcing you to work, then your work isn’t for you, isn’t fulfilling of some innate need inside yourself.
The examples of people creating for their own fulfillment is vast, from the silly to the serious. Lady Gaga wants to be unique and create astonishing pieces that shock and amuse people, she, from all assumptions, enjoys this. Martin Luther King wrote his “Letter from Birmingham Jail”, because he believed in his cause and he could not fulfill himself if he didn’t push for it. But how many people go that extra step, push for something so hard, if they don’t find some type of self-fulfillment from it? If creating does not help them towards their own goals and dreams?
Sara Barielles has a song, called “Love Song”, that says, “I’m not gonna write you to stay/All you have is leaving/I’m gon’ need a better reason/To write you a love song today.” That quote sums up how we should feel about our creativity: that we should not feel forced to create, but rather that creation should be part of our own self-fulfillment.
This does, however, bring up questions about self-fulfillment, that I may or may not address at another time.
References
Love Song by Sara Barielles http://www.metrolyrics.com/love-song-lyrics-sara-bareilles.html
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